Use of English

PART 1: For questions 1- 8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits
each gap.

Scotland

People come to this small northern country for many reasons, lured, perhaps, by the promise of
spectacular (1) ... ?, friendly natives, and a vibrant arts scene. Some are searching for their family
(2) ... ? or others just want to get away from it all and, digging (3) ... ? old memories from their
English Lit class of gallant heroes engaging in larger-than-life struggles, their (4) ... ? wander to
faraway lands, to somehow familiar yet different destinations. Why not go to Scotland? But what
kind of country are they coming to and what should they expect once they get there? Scotland (5) ...
? of an area of 30, 418 square miles - so it's a fairly compact and "doable" country - with a
population of about five million people - not too small, not too big. It is one of three countries that
form the political (6) ... ? called Great Britain, the other two being, of course, England and Wales,
which, along with their fourth partner, Northern Ireland, becomes the United Kingdom. Scotland is
bordered on three sides by water and on its fourth by England, which has had both its advantages
and disadvantages. Geographically speaking, the country can be divided into three broad areas, the
Southern Uplands, the Central Lowlands, and the Highlands. Although the rugged Highlands
(7) ... ? about two-thirds of the land area, the (8) ... ? majority of the population lives in the Central
Belt between Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, and Edinburgh, Scotland's capital.

1. A) scene B) scenery C) view D) panorama

2. A) roots B) race C) basis D) source
3. A) off B) down C) on D) up
4. A) head B) brains C) spirits D) minds
5. A) consists B) includes C) embraces D) comprises
6. A) entirety B) entitle C) entry D) entity
7. A) take out B) take in C) take up D) take off
8. A) expansive B) vast C) expanding D) spacious

PART 2: For questions 1-8, read the text below and think of the word which fits each gap. Use only
one word in each gap.

An Ugly Habit

Smoking is one of the most common and deadliest habits in the world. You have probably seen
thousands of cigarettes smoked in your lifetime, (1) ... perhaps not by your family. Even though
fewer people smoke today than in the past, one (2) ... every four adults still smokes, and there are
parts of the world where smoking is increasing. Most people who become regular smokers started
when they were young. This is the time to get the facts straight: smoking does no one (3) ... good,
and it does a great (4) ... of harm to your health. It also often means giving up a lot later in life, such
as the chance to excel in sports, extra spending money, and even years of one’s life. There is a lot of
to lose. Most smokers have a hard time explaining why they started – and why they continue. They
know it is harmful, and many even know someone who has died from a smoking-related illness, like
lung cancer or heart disease. But (5) ... the same time, these smokers continue lighting up when they
go out for a drink, take a break from work, or hear alarming news. Some smokers even light up
when they learn about the dangers of smoking, because they become worried. (6) ... the reason
people start smoking, the habit soon loses (7) ... attraction. (8) ... from the obvious health risks,
smoking is an ugly, unpleasant habit. Most people would prefer to avoid a room that someone was
filling with smelly smoke.

PART 3: For questions 1-8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of
the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line.

Muscle Cars

Muscle cars were never intended to be valuable. In fact, the whole idea behind
muscle cars was to make them (1) ... and fast. Muscle cars were stripped-down EXPENSIVE
versions of the most (2) ... homely, and basic mass-produced cars to ever roll out UTILITY
of Detroit. These rattle trap, bare bones, crude devices were built to conform to
a price point with little regard given to sophistication or (3) ..., and aimed squarely LONG
at the (4) ... market. And this market couldn't get enough of them. These were the YOUNG
cars every red-blooded American kid wanted. The image, the speed, the lifestyle
were all highly addictive. Looking back, the muscle car years were (5) ... brief RELATIVE
moment in time that we will never see the likes of again. It was a perfect storm,
just what the market wanted, and was presented at the right place in the right time.
So how did these seemingly (6) ... cars, built in large numbers and owned by DISPOSE
kids who (7) ... tried to kill them from the first twist of the key, become so valuable? LITERAL
More importantly, why did they become so valuable? Most people are astounded
when they hear the recent sales results of the most (8) ... muscle cars. We call them DESIRE
two-comma cars, cars that are worth so much money that you need two commas
to separate all the zeroes in the price.

PART 4: For questions 1-6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six
words, including the word given.
1) This manual is too difficult for me.
CONCERNED
As ____________________, this manual is too difficult for me.

2) Susan couldn't get to the date because of the heavy rain.

PREVENTED
The heavy rain __________________ getting to the date.

3) Sally gets on well with her father-in-law.

TERMS
Sally is ______________________ her father-in-law.

4) I didn't realise what she would suffer in the first place.

DID
Little ______________________ would suffer in the first place.

5) The pupils are living temporarily in a hotel.

BEING
For ______________________, the pupils are living in a hotel.

6) It looks as if he's forgotten about the meeting again.

TO
He seems _______________________- about the meeting again.
Reading

PART 5: You are going to read a magazine article about an African film festival. For questions 1-6,
choose the answer which you think best fits according to the text.

The Sahara Film Festival

After a bumpy 225km drive from a meagre airstrip in Tindouf, south western Algeria, a sprawling
single-story town begins to emerge from the desert’s dust. As the sun climbs in the cloudless sky,
visitors are rewarded with their first glimpse of Dakhla refugee camp. It isn’t the most obvious
setting for a film festival, but for seven years, just before the glitz and glamour of Cannes, the
Sahrawi people of Dakhla have hosted actors and film-makers from around the world for this six-
day event. This year, for the first time, direct flights were laid on from London, giving the
opportunity for overseas visitors to play a part in this extraordinary occasion. But despite the
energy and excitement, the background to the film festival is a serious one, as the Sahrawi people
have been living for thirty years in this isolated desert outpost, having been forced to flee their
native Western Sahara.

Western Sahara, Africa’s last colony, was taken over by Morocco when the Spanish withdrew in
1976, despite a ruling from the International Court of Justice. This was followed by a brutal 16-
year war, during which time tens of thousands of Sahrawis fled across the Algerian border to
refugee camps. In 1991, a ceasefire agreement was drawn up, in which a referendum on self-
determination was promised to decide the fate of the country and its people. However, almost
twenty years later, the gears of diplomacy have turned slowly and nothing has happened.
Meanwhile the refugees have been left stranded in five refugee camps dotted around the vast,
inhospitable desert.

Dakhla, home to nearly 30,000 of these refugees, is the most remote of these camps, being located
175 km from the nearest city. Unlike its namesake, the beautiful coastal city in Western Sahara, this
Dakhla has no paved roads and is entirely dependent on outside supplies for food and water.
Temperatures regularly top 120 degrees, there is minimal vegetation and there are frequent
sandstorms. Locally it is known as the Devil’s Garden. Despite these obvious setbacks, the town is
clean and well organised, with wide sandy streets. Houses and tents are grouped in neat family
compounds. There are hospitals, funded by aid agencies, and a good standard of education. For the
duration of the festival, an articulated lorry is parked in the central compound, and a multiplex-sized
screen is mounted on its side. Around it are stalls and tents housing workshops and exhibitions.

The aim of the festival is to raise international awareness on the plight of the refugees. However, it
also offers a rare chance for the refugees to go to the movies and experience some educational
opportunities. It is hoped that it might foster a new generation of Sahrawi film-makers, especially
as this year, the festival also celebrated the opening of a permanent film, radio and television school
in a neighbouring camp.
The program of films for this year included over forty films from around the world. Films range
from international blockbusters to various works on and by the Sahrawi people. The themes mostly
centre on experiences of struggle and hope, but there were lighter moments, such as an animated
film for the children and a flash of Rachel Weisz’s naked bottom during the ancient Egyptian epic
Agora which proved to be a highlight for many older boys. However, the runaway favourite was ‘a
Victime’, a documentary about Ibrahim Leibeit, a 19-year-old Sahrawi who lost his leg to a land
mine last year.

Films are screened at night, so the daytime is taken up with exhibitions, camel races and football
matches. One afternoon the London-based charity ‘Sandblast’ put on a joint workshop with a film-
maker, giving refugees the opportunity to learn about filmmaking and create their own video
messages. These were put online so that their extended families in Western Sahara, from whom
they have been separated for more than 33 years, could watch them. Helen Whitehead, a film-maker
from London said, ‘Working together really broke down language and cultural barriers. It was very
rewarding, and we came across some real talent.’

More than 500 visitors flew into Tindouf on charter planes and braved the rough drive to the
settlement. All the visitors to the festival stay with Sahrawi families, sharing their homes and
partaking of their food. Living with these displaced people gives overseas participants an invaluable
insight into the conditions in which the refugees live. Alongside the film buffs there are real
celebrities such as actors Victoria Demayo and Helena Olano. They are mostly B and C listers from
the Spanish film industry, although the real stars do take an interest. Director Javier Cardozo was a
visitor last year, and Penelope Cruz is a long-term supporter, but pulled out of attending the festival
this year at the last minute. Will the celebrity backing make a difference to the plight of the
refugees? Possibly. Cardozo’s suggestion that the Spanish, as the ex-colonial masters of Western
Sahara, were responsible for the situation received significant coverage in the Spanish Media and
put some pressure on the government to take some action. However, although the campaign in
Spain is growing steadily, the focus of attention cannot only be on the Spanish government.

On the final day of the gathering, there is a dusty red-carpet ceremony in which the White Camel
award for best picture is presented to Jordi Ferrer and Paul Vidal for ‘El Problema’, their 2009 film
about Western Sahara. Actors, activists and festival organisers gather on stage in high spirits to
show their solidarity with the refugees. But as the stalls are dismantled and the trucks are driven
away, the thoughts of the visitors turn to the people they are leaving behind. They may never get
the chance to see the world or fulfil their dreams of becoming actors or film-makers. For them,
there is nowhere to go. Dakhla is essentially a desert prison.

1 In the first paragraph, the writer emphasises:

the enthusiasm that the festival instils

the sensational nature of the festival
the festival’s increasing media attention
the festival’s unlikely location
2 According to the writer, the refugees have been in the desert for so long because:

International agencies do not know they are there

the Moroccan government disagree with the UN
a proposed vote is yet to take place
there is a war in their home country

3 What does the writer say about the original city of Dakhla?

It is by the sea.
It has good health and educational facilities.
It does not have proper roads
It gets food and water from aid agencies.

4 What is said about the films shown at the festival?

They mostly show the personal experiences of the Sahwari people.

All of the films are serious in content.
The variety of films suited a wide range of tastes
The international films were more popular than the local films

5 What was the British visitors’ response to the workshops?

They were surprised by the refugee’s film knowledge

The workshops enabled them to communicate with local people.
the workshops taught the visitors a lot about local culture.
They showed the local films to their families via the internet.

6 What point does the writer highlight in the final paragraph?

There is a contrast between the visitors’ freedom and the refugees’ confinement
The film festival only gives the refugees unattainable dreams
The visitors only care about the refugees for the duration of the festival
The festival is a poor copy of the more famous film festivals.

PART 6: You are going to read four news reports about an abandoned baby. For questions 1 – 4,
choose from the reviews A – D. The reviews may be chosen more than once.
Article A
It has been alleged that the mother charged with attempted murder after dumping her newborn baby
into a drain has admitted to abandoning the baby boy. The woman remains in custody after bail was
formally refused at Blacktown Local Court .
The newborn baby was discovered by passing cyclists on a day when temperatures surpassed 40
degrees Celsius. Mr Otte, who discovered the baby and only cycles the route once a month, said,
‘That baby had no chance if we and the other people hadn't been there. Something made us find that
baby today'.
The child was already undernourished, and dehydration would have taken effect and the baby
would not have survived the day.
Passersby outside court cried 'shame' as the accused woman’s relatives crossed the street in
Blacktown.

Article B
A woman has been charged with the attempted murder of her newborn son, who was left in a drain
on Tuesday before being discovered the following Sunday. The incident has shocked us all. In the
searing heat, the baby had little chance of survival, and the mother must have been aware of this as
she callously shoved him through the tiny gap, dropped him into the darkness and left him to his
fate. But although crimes like this are a rarity, they don’t happen in isolation. Australia criminalises
child abandonment, thus making it nigh on impossible for a depressed mother to give up her infant
without causing it harm. Meanwhile pregnant women are shuffled through the system, rarely seeing
the same caregiver twice. This model of care treats the pregnancy, but ignores the patient, and it is
this ill-equipped, indifferent system that makes a crime this one possible.

Article C
A mother has been charged with attempted murder after she allegedly abandoned her newborn son
in a roadside drain, police confirmed today. The baby had been alone in the deep drain for five days
when, by a stroke of luck, cyclists caught the faint sound of his muffled cries above the heavy noise
of motorway traffic. Sweltering temperatures in Sydney have settled around 30C over the past week
and it is believed the week-old boy would have died had he not been found. Karen Healy, National
President of the Australian Association of Social said that this was a highly unusual case, as parents
who abandon their children tend to do so in high-traffic areas like churches or hospitals where the
child will be taken care of. This scenario, in which the mother clearly wanted the baby to be hidden
and it was only by the grace of God that the infant survived, suggests an element of shame or
possible mental illness which was not heeded by pre- and post-natal health providers. The 30-year-
old mother is currently receiving therapy while she remains in police custody.

Article D
A newborn baby boy has been rescued from an eight-foot drain beside a bike track in Australia after
passing cyclists heard the sounds of wailing. Graham Bridges, who was among the people who
helped rescue the baby, walked the bike track regularly and said it was usually very popular with
riders on a Sunday morning. Inspector David Lagats said ‘We all thought the worst but he's still
alive. It was a long drop down, but he’s wrapped up pretty well, so that will have cushioned his
fall.’ The concrete moulding of the drain formed a layer of insulation which protected the baby
from the weather, which, during the week, reached temperatures of thirty degrees. The baby was
taken to hospital in a stable condition, thanks, in part, to the fact that newborn babies have reserves
of fluids and body sugars which they can resort to as they adapt to the new way of feeding. Lisa
Charet, from the state department of family and community services said she was concerned for the
mother’s welfare. "We can give her the help and support that she needs. She must be feeling
enormously distressed if she feels that this is the only course of action available to her."

Which article:

1. differs from the others with regards to the threat to the baby’s health?

2. shares the same attitude to the mother as article B?

3. shares article B’s view that the mother was not entirely responsible for her actions?

4. shares article C’s attitude towards the baby’s rescue?

PART 7: You are going to read a magazine article. Six paragraphs have been removed from the
extract. Choose from the paragraphs A-G the one which fits each gap (1-6). There is one extra
paragraph which you do not need to use.

A Russell and his wife had lived for several years in the picturesque village of Lymm where the
crumbling 130-year old tower stood. The grade II listed building was one of several hundred
surviving water towers which were built in the 1800s to improve public health across Britain. This
particular tower was currently being used by three mobile phone companies to anchor their
telephone masts. Russell regularly walked along the footpath beside the tower, and when it went up
for auction in 1997, he impulsively put in a bid for £138,000.

B But finally it all paid off. The end result is both contemporary and luxurious. The original tower
houses a ‘winter' living room on the ground floor. Above it is a master bedroom with an en suite
bathroom on a mezzanine. Above that, there is an office, guest room and a room for the telecom
equipment. Atop it all is a roof garden with views stretching as far as Manchester and Liverpool.

C Work finally began when planning permission was granted in 2002. But before the new structure
could be built, substantial work had to be done to the existing tower. The stonework was cracked
and the turret was damaged. Two skilled stonemasons worked for six months on its restoration. It
was then sandblasted, the water tank was removed, and huge steel frames were put into place to
support the new floors. Only then could foundations be laid for the extension.
D Over 60 companies were involved in the construction, and Russell gave up work to act as project
manager. There were problems at almost every stage. If something could go wrong, it inevitably
would. Spirits plummeted and costs spiralled, and Russell and Jannette could do little but look on as
their savings dwindled.

E Russell and Jannette had just finished renovating a 1920s farmhouse nearby. This was done in a
much more traditional style. By the time they'd finished with it, the once-roofless property had the
typical Aga, log-burning stove, rugs, country pine furniture, dried flowers and knick-knacks.
Chintzy in comparison to the modernist design they attached to the water tower. Since the work on
the tower, they have become a real converts to minimalism.

F Colour is added to this stark interior by the creative use of lighting, which was designed by Kate
Wilkins, responsible for the lighting scheme at the Tate Modern Art Gallery. The lighting is subtle,
mostly made up of simply concealed fluorescent strips or cold-cathode tubes. The innovative
approach to lighting design won them the prestigious Lighting Design Award.

G Fate, however, had other ideas. Russell and Jannette had to battle town planners and local
opposition to get their dream on the road. Five years along, work still hadn't started and the couple
were losing heart. All this changed, however, when they met the architect Julian Baker, who drew
up plans for a contemporary design blending old and new. His inspirational ideas gave them the
impetus they needed to kick-start their project.

Renovating the Lymm Water Tower

After eight years of grit and determination, Russell and Jannette Harris have succeeded in
transforming a derelict water tower into a spacious family home, and in doing so, won the 2005
Homebuilding and renovation awards. However, the road to success was relentless, as what began
as a whim turned into an insurmountable challenge, and there were times when they thought they
might never move in.
1.

Finding themselves the owners of the dilapidated structure, the couple then had to decide what to do
with it. Their early visions for the project were fairly modest; they originally considered wrapping
the structure in timber cladding and fitting a copper roof, or keeping the tower as a folly and
building a cottage in the grounds. As time progressed, the couple decided that they could use this
opportunity to create something far more ambitious.
2.

Julian's masterplan involved wrapping a glass-and-steel extension around the tower, creating living
spaces on various levels. Massive windows would give floor-to -ceiling views of the countryside,
strategically placed so that the morning sun would shine into the kitchen and set on the dining area.
The summer lounge, facing due south, would catch the daytime rays.
3.
Work also had to be done to hide the unsightly selection of antennae on the roof of the old tower.
These could not be removed, as they were essential part of funding the conversion. So they were
rehoused in an extension to the existing stone turret, concealing them from sight.
4.

Thankfully, they were able to reclaim something towards these costs from the income generated by
the radio masts. They also reaped some money by making a television programme about the project.
But with costs soaring to £450,000 and beyond, the family was forced to cut down on personal
spending. They stopped taking family holidays, traded in their car and lived in cheap rented
accommodation.
5.

The extension meanwhile, which accommodates the main living space, is a tribute to minimalism.
There are no pictures. The house is like a work of art in itself, with its sweeping views of the
countryside. White is the dominant colour, and everywhere there are sleek, curved lines. Even the
light switches and plug sockets are discreetly hidden.
6.

With a total cost of over £500,000, plus eight years of hard slog, Russell is unsure whether he would
advise other self-builders to put themselves through the trouble. At times, he wished he had never
bought the tower. But when he sits in the roof-top hot tub with 360 degree views over the
countryside, he admits that it was worth the effort. And now that the Lymm Water Tower has been
valued at £1.75m by a local agent, the Harrises can surely feel satisfied with their achievement.

PART 8: You are going to read four different opinions from leading scientists about the future of
fuel. For questions 1-10, choose from the writers A-D. The writers may be chosen more than once.

A
Howard Bloom, Author:

Even though most people are convinced that peak oil has already passed, to me, peak oil is just a
hypothesis. There is a theory that carbon molecules can be found in interstellar gas clouds, comets
and in space ice, and if this is the case, our planet could ooze oil for ever. And even if we stay
earthbound, those who say we have raped the planet of all its resources are wrong. There's a huge
stock of raw materials we haven't yet learned to use. There are bacteria two miles beneath our feet
which can turn solid granite into food. If bacteria can do it, surely we creatures with brains can do it
better. As far as the near future of energy is concerned, I believe the most promising alternative
fuels are biofuels, such as ethanol. It's an alcohol made from waste products such as the bark of
trees, woodchips, and other 'waste materials'. And that's not the only waste that can create energy.
My friend in the biomass industry is perfecting an energy-generation plant which can run on human
waste. We produce that in vast quantities, and it's already gathered in centralised locations.

B
Michael Lardelli, Lecturer in Genetics at The University of Adelaide

Nothing exists on this planet without energy. It enables flowers and people to grow and we need it
to mine minerals, extract oil or cut wood and then to process these into finished goods. So the most
fundamental definition of money is as a mechanism to allow the exchange and allocation of
different forms of energy. Recently, people have been using more energy than ever before. Until
2005 it was possible to expand our energy use to meet this demand. However, since 2005 oil supply
has been in decline, and at the same time, and as a direct result of this, the world's economy has
been unable to expand, leading to global recession. With the world's energy and the profitability of
energy production in decline at the same time, the net energy available to support activities other
than energy procurement will decrease. We could increase energy production by diverting a large
proportion of our remaining oil energy into building nuclear power stations and investing in
renewable forms of energy. However, this is very unlikely to happen in democratic nations, because
it would require huge, voluntary reductions in living standards. Consequently, the world economy
will continue to contract as oil production declines. With energy in decline, it will be impossible for
everyone in the world to become wealthier. One person's increased wealth can only come at the
expense of another person's worsened poverty.

C
Jeroen van der Veer, chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell

People are understandably worried about a future of growing energy shortages, rising prices and
international conflict for supplies. These fears are not without foundation. With continued economic
growth, the world's energy needs could increase by 50% in the next 25 years. However, I do not
believe that the world is running out of energy. Fossil fuels will be able to meet growing demand for
a long time in the future. Taking unconventional resources into account, we are not even close to
peak oil. The priority for oil companies is to improve efficiency, by increasing the amount of oil
recovered from reservoirs. At present, just over a third is recovered. We can also improve the
technology to control reservoir processes and improve oil flow. However, these projects are costly,
complex and technically demanding, and they depend on experienced people, so it is essential to
encourage young people to take up a technical career in the energy industry. Meanwhile, alternative
forms of energy need to be made economically viable. International energy companies have the
capability, the experience and the commercial drive to work towards solving the energy problem so
they will play a key role. But it is not as simple as merely making scientific advances and
developing new tools; the challenge is to deliver the technology to people worldwide. Companies
will need to share knowledge and use their ideas effectively.

D
Craig Severance, blogger

What will it take to end our oil addiction? It's time we moved on to something else. Not only are
world oil supplies running out, but what oil is still left is proving very dirty to obtain. The
Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred precisely because the easy-to-obtain oil is already tapped. If
we don't kick oil now, we will see more disasters as oil companies move to the Arctic offshore and
clear more forests. The cheap petroleum is gone; from now on, we will pay steadily more and more
for our oil — not just in dollars, but in the biological systems that sustain life on this planet. The
only solution is to get on with what we will have to do anyway - end our dependence on it! There
are many instances in which oil need not be used at all. Heat and electricity can be produced in a
multitude of other ways, such as solar power or natural gas. The biggest challenge is the oil that is
used in transportation. That doesn't mean the transportation of goods worldwide, it's the day-to-day
moving around of people. It means we have to change what we drive. The good news is that it's
possible. There are a wide range of fuel efficient cars on offer, and the number of all-electric plug-in
cars is set to increase. For long distance travel and freight, the solution to this is to look to rail. An
electrified railway would not be reliant upon oil, but could be powered by solar, geothermal, hydro,
and wind sources. There is a long way to go, but actions we take now to kick our oil addiction can
help us adapt to a world of shrinking oil supplies.

Which writer:

1. believes oil will be available for many more years

2. believes that from now on, less oil is available

3. believes there are ways to obtain energy that we have not yet discovered

4. sees a great potential in natural fuels

5. believes the fuel crisis will cause the poor to become poorer

6. sees energy and the economy as intrinsically linked

7. believes we should reduce our dependance on oil immediately

8. believes that people need to be attracted to working in the energy industry

9. believes that it is unlikely that governments will invest a lot of money into alternative energy

10. believes that future oil recovery will lead to more environmental disasters